Q.	What is the student-to-instructor ratio in most riding classes?
A.	Classes range from 3:1 to 6:1. Small classes allow for the individual attention a student needs to develop skills and ability.

Q.	Will I be able to ride with different instructors?
A.	Yes, each instructor teaches classes on a variety of levels

Q.	Where is the Riding Center in relation to campus? Is transportation provided?
A.	The Riding Center is located right on Sweet Briar's 3,300 acre campus, one mile by car or approximately 3/4 of a mile on foot from classrooms and residence halls. A free shuttle accommodates class and student worker schedules as well as independent riders. Wyllie's Way is a beautiful walking trail from the main campus to the Riding Center.

Q.	When is the Riding Center open?
A.	The Riding Center is open seven days a week. During the fall and spring, hours are 7 a.m.-6 p.m. on weekdays, and 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on weekends.

Do I have to pay for lessons? What do riding fees include?

Riding at Sweet Briar is part of the educational experience, so the cost of the instruction is covered by your College tuition. Riding students who use College-owned horses purchase "blocks" of rides. Different blocks offer the student an option as to the number of rides taken per week. Each block includes the use of a horse for two lessons per week with remaining rides taken independently or in special activities/competitions.

Does the College offer riding scholarships or financial aid?

As a NCAA Division III college, Sweet Briar cannot offer athletic scholarships; however, the College offers several types of financial assistance to students in the Riding Program. The Cramer Endowment supports a unique range of educational riding opportunities, including private clinics led by national equestrian experts. The Blackwell Endowment helps to support students' fees for riding to hounds. The Thompson Fund and the Neidlinger Fund provide financial assistance for block rides for any level rider. The Riding Center also offers College Work-Study positions to eligible students. The College normally pays stabling fees and transportation expenses for each member of the fall field riding and fall hunter and jumper and ANRC teams. IHSA teams' transportation, entries, meals, and lodging are also paid for by the College.

Q.	Do I need my own equipment? What will it cost?
A.	Students riding College-owned horses need only their own boots and breeches and/or chaps. Normally a tack shop trip is organized at the beginning of each term to help fit students with what they need. The instructors are also glad to help. The school has some helmets available for student use. All tack is provided for College-owned horses. Private horse owners need to bring their own equipment.

What are the facilities like? Can I ride in areas other than in the ring?

Besides the Robin S. Cramer Hall, one of the largest college-owned indoor arenas in the nation at 120' x 300', Sweet Briar also has three outdoor rings, an enclosed lunging ring, more than seven teaching and schooling fields, and miles of trails on the 3,300-acre campus. We also have a hunter trials course, fence lines with coops, and a complete inventory of hunter-jumper fences suitable for USEF competition.

What are the College's horses like? How often are they ridden? Do I get to ride the same one?

The College owns about 40 talented and well-mannered horses on a variety of levels to serve the diversity of riders and courses offered. Lower-level horses are often half-breeds or quarter horses known for their good temperaments, whereas the intermediate and advanced level horses are generally thoroughbreds or warmbloods capable of higher quality performances. Normally, most horses are used for one lesson and for one independent ride or hack five or six days per week. All horses have at least one day off each week. Instructors work with each rider to choose a horse that best suits her ability, personality, and current goals for class riding. The horse assigned may change as goals change.

Competition / Riding "Fun" Activities

Q.	What opportunities are available for beginning riders?
A.	Inexperienced riders have many opportunities to ride and compete outside of lessons. Sweet Briar holds on-campus "Fun Shows" and weekend group hacks during the year, as well as enjoyable, special activities such as a Halloween ride and an Easter egg hunt. The IHSA also offers students at the elementary and intermediate levels a chance to travel and compete on a team.

Do I have to be on a team to compete?

No. Independent competitors have opportunities to compete. Students who are not members of a team are encouraged to participate in on-campus activities. As riders achieve higher riding levels within the program, they may earn the privilege of competing off campus as well. On campus events include state and regional association shows offering hungers, equitation and jumpers medals, one IHSA show, a hunter trial, hunter pace, and riding to hounds. Qualified independent competitors from Sweet Briar can compete off campus annually in an average of seven additional horse shows and four additional hunter trials during the academic year. We have four "in-house" horse shows with qualified judges. The type and number of shows a person usually does depends on the individual.

Q.	What opportunities are available if I want to ride for fun and not compete?
A.	Sweet Briar offers many on-campus activities each year as well as weekend group hacks, trail rides, picnic rides, nature rides, "Poker" rides, and informal fun shows for riders at all levels. These are in addition to the on-campus horse shows and open competitions.

Are there opportunities in addition to showing hunters to diversify my riding to include hacking, uneven terrain work, and natural jumps?

We focus on hunter and jumper horse shows with USEF rules. However, an area of interest in the Sweet Briar Riding Program is field riding. Instructional courses are offered from elementary to advanced levels, and all students are encouraged to hack out on Sweet Briar's network of trails. Qualified students are able to compete on- and off-campus at hunter trials, hunter paces and competitive trail rides as well as horse shows, and to ride with several local hunt clubs. Opportunities to work with young and green horses are also available.

Q.	How many vans do you have? Is there a limit to how many people can go?
	We have two six-horse vans and good showing opportunities off campus in the fall and spring. There is no limit to the number of riders who can go - all those qualified to go off campus are accommodated whether they are independent competitors or on a team.

Q.	Do the same horses go each time?
A.	Some of the same horses may go each time, but depending on the type of show and the horses available, there could be a different group of horses competing.

Q.	Who decides who is qualified?
	Before a student signs up for a show, she discusses the opportunity with her instructor to determine whether she has met the riding level requirements to compete in the event and if it would be beneficial for her. The student is encouraged to take the initiative and her instructor can help her prepare.

What is the cost of going to an off-campus show?

Qualified riders are encouraged to participate in off-campus shows that are suitable for their level of riding. Each independent competitor pays her own entry fees. At off-campus events, the College covers the cost of stabling for team riders but each rider pays her own entry fees. There is no "trainer" fee for any student in the program. Faculty members accompany students at competitions, whether a student is on a team or is an independent rider, with no coaching fee. The expense of shipping the horse is covered by the College. At-home recognized horse shows, "In-House" horse shows, and Equitrials may be entered at minimal or no expense to the rider. The entry fees for team riders are covered by the College at all on-campus competitions.

Q.	Does the College have-full time instructors who live near the stable/riding center?
A.	Sweet Briar College has three qualified full-time instructors, a full-time stable manager as well as two Riding Fellows. The assistant stable manager lives in a cottage at the stable. The director of riding and one instructor live on campus.

Q.	Does the faculty teach and coach students not enrolled in the College Riding Program?
A.	At Sweet Briar, during the normal semesters, the faculty teach and coach only Sweet Briar students, as well as help them exclusively at competitions and special activities.

IHSA

What is the IHSA?

The Intercollegiate Horse Show Association team, for beginning through advanced riders, is funded by the College and is a recreational and intercollegiate activity at Sweet Briar. In this type of competition, the team travels to and uses the horses at the host school. Horses are drawn from a hat and the riders do not get a warm-up. Shows are judged solely on equitation. The level of competition starts at beginning walk-trot and works up through the novice and open divisions. Sweet Briar hosts an indoor IHSA show. Sweet Briar College riders have won six individual Championships/Reserves at the IHSA National Competition.

Do you have to try out for the IHSA team?

At Sweet Briar we hold tryouts for the IHSA team in the early part of the fall semester. Riders tryout to represent Sweet Briar in the IHSA division for which they qualify. A team of approximately 20 riders is chosen to represent the college throughout the fall semester. Team riders must commit to the entire fall schedule of competitions. If necessary we hold tryouts early in the spring semester to fill in slots that may have opened up because a rider has pointed out of a division or is abroad for the spring semester. Many Sweet Briar riders focus on the IHSA and go on to Regional, Zone and the National Championships as individual competitors with full college support.

Q.	How many people are on an IHSA team? How many on each level?
A.	In our region, approximately eight to 15 riders travel to each IHSA show, with each level represented, from beginning walk-trot through open.

Private Horse Owners

Q.	Can anyone bring a privately owned horse?
A.	A student may bring her own horse to Sweet Briar if she demonstrates adequate riding ability, if the horse is suitable for the hunter/jumper-oriented program, and if the student agrees to support the program's rules and regulations. Because this is a private stable, riders do not compete with people outside the College for use of facilities.

Q.	How much turnout is available, and what is the condition of paddocks?
A.	There is plenty of room for turnout including more than 20 one-acre grassy, board-fenced paddocks, four smaller paddocks, and 10 large fields ranging from three to 25 acres. Horses are generally turned out individually for two hours each morning, footing and weather permitting. Longer day turnout or overnight turnout is available.

What services do you offer to boarders?

Board includes stall cleaning, feeding, daily inspection and picking feet as well as turning the horse out daily or lunging in poor weather. The student is responsible for the care of her tack and is expected to groom her horse. Additional services are available à la carte. Updated fees are listed in the current catalog. Veterinarians are on call as needed. Farriers come two times per week. The equine chiropractor visits frequently, and the equine dentist visits biannually.

Other Opportunities within the Riding Program

What kinds of riding classes do you offer?

Sweet Briar offers courses of instruction for students at every level with emphasis in three major areas: hunter/jumper/equitation, training/schooling young horses, and hunter-oriented cross country. More than 20 courses imaginatively incorporate lecture, discussion and mounted instruction based on the principles of modern forward riding/hunter seat equitation. Students interested in competing in the jumper division normally need to have their own horse.

Q.	Are there opportunities for student employment?
A.	As in other departments on campus, students may be employed part-time. At the stable, students work as turn out/grooms, tack cleaners, office/stable assistants or teaching assistants. Students receive a monthly paycheck. We also offer both paid and unpaid internships in teaching, schooling, and management.

Q.	How does someone become a teaching assistant? What are the benefits?
A.	Teaching assistant positions offer students the opportunity to work alongside an instructor with a group of lower-level riders. After passing the Teaching Techniques course, students can learn a great deal while getting hands-on experience and earning extra money as a teaching assistant. The next level up is "Student Teacher."

What is the Riding Council?

The Student Riding Council lends spirit and leadership on a student level to the Riding Program. Members assist the director of riding, faculty, stable manager, and staff in the formulation and implementation of the policies of the Riding Program. They also help other students improve and enjoy their riding and assist new riders in learning about the program. The council sponsors activities throughout the year.

What is the Riding Program Advisory Committee?

The Riding Program Advisory Committee is chaired by the Director of Riding and consists of elected student representatives from different interest groups such as hackers/non-hackers, trail guides/Student Riding Council, teaching assistants, private horse owners, the IHSA, Spring and Fall teams. Topics include Riding Program policies, the annual calendar, curriculum, recreational and competitive activities, the Cramer Fund, and other matters brought by the students and faculty to the committee.

Q.	Are ANRC Certification Centers held on campus?
A.	Rider Certification Centers are held on the campus of Sweet Briar at least annually or when there are riders prepared for the national examination. Instructors are available to help students form and carry out a plan of preparation for the rigorous testing.

Careers

What types of career preparation are available to students interested in the horse industry?

In addition to their academic major, students interested in continuing in the horse industry undertake the completion of an Equine Studies Certificate with a concentration in management or teaching and schooling. The College has an outstanding pre-veterinary/pre-med program. There are excellent internships available to strengthen a student's experiences. The Career Services Department is actively involved as well.

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